could hit the debt ceiling as soon as mid-february. joining me now, host of "power lunch," tyler matheson. good to see you again. >> hi, tamron. >> we have the threat of our credit rating being downgraded here as wall street keeps an eye just like people at home what's happening in d.c. with the latest battle. >> this is really the biggy. compared with the fiscal cliff which was by all accounts a roughly familiar tax and spending debate, this one has far more import because it will determine whether among other things the united states continues to make good on the obligations it has already undertaken. interest and principal on the debt we have borrowed. our credit rating which was so famously downgraded in the summer of 2011 hangs in the balance here. and of course, people on both sides of the aisle are fighting over whether it is fair game to use the debt ceiling as a piece of political leverage to get the government to stop its spending. on the one hand, people on the right say, well, what else are we going to use? we are engaging